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Bed moving whIle going over bumps.

Nightmare90gt

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I searched and couldn't find anything. I haven't driven a truck in 2 years so I can remember if this is normal. Is it normal for the bed to move when going over bumps?
 

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I searched and couldn't find anything. I haven't driven a truck in 2 years so I can remember if this is normal. Is it normal for the bed to move when going over bumps?

Yes, it's normal. The bed and the cab are mounted differently, the bed is mounted directly to the frame, the cab is mounted on bushings. they will not move the same. If you watch videos of truck test on test tracks, the bed will sometimes even move opposite directions to the cab.

It's especially noticeably if you have any attachments to your bed, like bed racks or tool boxes, you can see the movement even more clearly through your back window.
 

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Thank you glad it's normal.

Absolutely. That's why you don't put anything delicate in the bed. Its hard mounted and gets a harsher ride than anything in the cab. You can probably watch videos on YouTube showing chassis flex where the bed is pointed several inches in a different direction from the cab.
 

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Had the exact same question and thank god it's not considered a problem! I appreciate the clarification! I was moving to a new house and I had the intention of using my truck to move my things and I put some of my fragile stuff in the bed. After a few bumps I heard noises coming up from the bed, so I stopped to see what was up and I realized that everything was everywhere...

Oh yeah, the bed is no place for fragile stuff, the dampening effect of a rubber mounted cabin is so different than what the bed goes through. Though you can make the bed more bearable for delicate stuff by using a heavy duty rubber bed mat.

Even if you have a spray-in liner, a rubber bed mat is a good upgrade. It offers a lot of dampening cushion while preventing items from sliding around and offers a soft smooth surface that won't damage stuff you put in there, like furniture.
 

nc_beagle

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Here is a good video of the difference, see at 1 minute and 42 seconds....

That was pretty cool. I wonder why the simulator isn't set up to allow the front wheels to be turned during some of the testing? Wouldn't that stress, even slightly, some of the components differently?
 

jimothy

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This reminds me of a lesson I learned in my first truck (a second gen Dakota club cab), when I was a book smart but truck dumb college student.

Tip: when riding livestock in the bed while your friend drives your truck, it’s not a good idea to hold on with you fingers in the gap between the bed and the cab. Ouch! It could have been a lot worse, but it was like getting my fingers slammed in a very heavy door.
 

NorthStar

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I searched and couldn't find anything. I haven't driven a truck in 2 years so I can remember if this is normal. Is it normal for the bed to move when going over bumps?
Yep, it is a NHTSA requirement that keeps the bed from slamming into the cab upon landing when jumping over a line of Fords and Chevys. It is also the best place to strap your colicky newborn down when taking them out for a drive to get them to go to sleep. You’ll love and your newborn will thank you for the rocking feature of the bed…
 

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